Well stopper



, Patented jugl.l5, 1924.

, UNITED. STATES GEORGE H. MOLEAN, OF TAMPIC, MEXICO.

vWELL srorPER.

Application led May 24,

To all lwhom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. MGLEAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Tampico, in the State of Tamaulipas, and

Republic of Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Well Stoppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to packers or stoppers especially adapted foruse in wells.

Briefly stated, an important object is to provide a well stopper having novel means whereby the same may be firmly engaged with the wall of the well or casing at any desired point, the extent of descent being entirely under the control of the operator.

Further, the invention aims to provide simple and reliable means whereby the downward expansion of the packerl is prevented when the stopper is released for engagement with the well casing, the said means also acting to stretch the packer during its descent whereby to decrease its crosssectionalarea.

A further object is to provide a well stopper which is of highly simplified construction, durable in use and cheap to manufacture.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 1s avertical sectional view illustrating the improved packer.

Figure'2 is a detail sectional view illustrating the stopper or packer in a set or expanded position.

In the drawing the numeral 5 designates a cap the lower portion of which is threaded into the member 6 whereby the cap is supported in longitudinal alignment with the casing.

The upper portion of the cap 5 is provided n with a'fiange 7 to which a closure 8 is securely connected by means of fastening bolts 9. The central portion of the closure 8 is provided withan opening through which a lowering cable 10 extends and it will be observed that a packing or sealing unit 11 is connected to the closure 8 and provides a tight joint between the cable and the cap. Of course this connection is suiiciently loose to permit 'of the movement of the cable 10' when the drum 12 is operated'.

The packing un-it 14 may be in the form 1923. Serial No. 641,200.

of a sphere or it may be oval shaped and it is formed from corded rubber or woven material. In carrying out the invention, the

packer may be filled with such material as sand and cement, oakum, cotton, lead wool or other mineral wool. It might be stated that the packing unit 14 is more or less yieldable and is capable of assuming the elongated form illustrated in Figure 1 0r the compressed form illustrated in Figure 2.

The packing unit 14 is connected to upper and lower disks or plates 16 and 18 respectively through the medium of fastening or connecting devices 19. If desired reinforcing or strengthening members 21 may be arranged interiorly or exteriorly of the packer and prevent the connection between 'the packer and the members 16 and 18 from being broken.

As illustrated in Figure 1, a stem 25 is extended centrally through the packer 14 and has its upper end connected to the cable 10 by a frangible element 26 so that when the strain exceeds a predetermined point the connection/between the stem and the cable will be broken. As illustrated in Figure l, the disk 18 is provided with a plurality of depending ears 28 to which locking pawls 29 are pivoted as indicated at 30. The pawls 29 are normally held out of engagement with the casing through the medium of a weight 31 connected by wires 32 to eyelets 33 formed on the inner sides of the pawls.

Figure 1 illustrates that the stem 25 is connected to the upper portion of the weight 31 by the frangible pin 33 and when .an upward pull is exerted on the stem the weight 31 will be engaged with a relatively stationl ary guide member or tubel 35 whereby t0 break the connection between the stem and the weight. When the weight 31 is thus released it exerts a downward pull on the links 32 and thereby swings the pawls outwardly into engagement with the wall of the casing 39.

When the pawls 29 are thus swung outwardly the elongation or stretching of the packer 14 is prevented so'l that a lateral expansion of the packer takes place. Figure 1 illustrates that a nut 40 is threaded on the stem at the lower portion of the packer and urges thelower cap or disk 18 downwardly with the result that the`illustrated elongation of the packer is obtained. That is to sav, the weight 3l will urge the stem downto the rod 25. When an upwar pull on 42 having connection with pawls 43 which I pull is exerted on the cable with contact with the wall of the casing and thereby prevent the upward movement of the packer. The upper member 16 is connected to the stem 25 by means of frangible wires 45 and a cross head 46 rigidl secured the stem is exerted the wires 45 will be broken and the packer allowed to expand into en agement with the well. The disk 18 is engaged by thenut 40 and thel wires 45 which are' connected to the cross head 46 and the disk 16 maintains the upper disk inspaced relation to the lower disk until such time as itis desired to set the packer.

In carrying out the invention the upper and lower disks may be of a suitable diameter, flaton the bottom with two or more pawls and the top diskmay be made with a cylinder above the disk so that any number of pawls may be arranged in superposed or staggered relation. Also if desired, the lower disk may be made coneshaped.

It will be seen that the nut 40 not only insures the stretching of the packer 14, but also prevents dropping of the lwei ht with relation to the device prior to the reaking of the frangible pin 33.

Therefore, in use the device is lowered into the well by a cable 10 and -when it reaches the proper point a slifrht upward the resultthat the pawls 43 are engaged with the wall of the casing or well and further upwardmovement o the packer prevented. When the upward movement of the packing device is thus stopped a strain is placed on the fran ible in 33, that is to say the upward pu l of t e cable 10 forcestlie weight 3 1 into en agement with the relatively stationary tu e 35 and the frangible pin 33 is thus -.broken,allowing the weight to swing the lower "set of pawls 29 outwardly into engagement with'the wall of the well.

The pet cocks 80 and 81 ma now be opened for allowing the'air anni7 pressure above the packer to be discharged whereupon the pressure beneath the packer will expand the device so that it assumes the pol sition illustrated in Figure 2.

In carrying out the invention the cap 5 may be provided with annular boss 93vto which anchor bolts may be connected in case there is a high pressure in the well.

Having thus described the invention, what 1. A well packer lcomprising a pairof I disks, a yieldable packing element arranged pivoted pawls connected to said disks and adapted for engagingl the wall of the well whereby to anchor t e packing element, a

stein extended through said packing elewardly into engagement with the wall of the l vcasing whereby to permit the expansion of the packing element.

3. A packer for ywells comprising a packing element of yieldable material, and a pawl' arranged beneath said -packing element, a weight having connection wit said pawl fonmovin the same into engagement with the wall o the casing, and a lowering member having connection with said -weight and normally holding the same in an inoperative position.

4. A stopper for wells comprising a packing element of yieldable material, a stem extended through the ackingy element, 'a weight having a frangible connection with said stem, a pawl actuated by said weight,

and means associated with said stem for stretching the packing element during its descent and for limiting the downward movement of the weight with relation to the packing elementduring stopper. u Y

5. A stopper for wells comprising a packing element of ieldable material, a stem extended throug the packing element, a

the descent of the weight having a frangible connection withr 4of theJ stem will break the frangible connection between 'the'stem and the weight.

7. A stopper for wells comprising a packing element, upper and lower disks arranged on' opposite sides of said packing element, means connectingsaid packing element to said disks, upper and lower pawls pivoted to said disks, a stem extending `through said disks and'said packing element, a weight rangibly connected to said stem, links connected to said weight and to said lower pawls, means on said stem to transmit the load of said weight to said lower disk whereby to stretch the packer during its descent, and reinforcing means associated with said packing element. y

8. A stopper for wells comprising a packing element, upper and lower disks arranged on opposite sidesl of said packing element, means connecting said packing element to said disks, upper and lower pawls pivoted to said disks, a stem extending through said disks and said packing element, a weight frangibly connected to said stem, links connected to said weight and to said lower pawls, means on said stem to transmit the load of said weight to said lower disk whereby to stretch the packer during its descent, and a tubular striking element receiving said stem and arranged in the path of travel of said weight.

9. A stopper for wells comprising a packing element, upper and lower disks arranged on opposite sides of said packing element, means connecting said packing element to Said disks, upper and lower pawls pivoted to said disks, a stem extending through said disks and said packing element, a Weight frangibly connected to said stem, links connected to said Weight and to said lower pawls. means on said stem to transmit the load of said weight to said lower disk whereby to stretch the packer during its descent, and frangible means connecting said upper disk to said stem.

10. A stopper for' wells comprising a packing element, upper and lower disks arranged on opposite sides of said packing element` means connecting said packing element to said disks'` upper and lower pawls pivoted to said disks, a stem extending through said disks and said packing ele- .ment, a weight frangibly connected to said stem, links connected to said weight and to e chorin said lower pawls, means on said stem to transmit the load of said weight to said lower ldisk whereby to stretch the packer during its descent, and a weight frangiblyT connected to said stem.

l1. A well stopper comprising a body, a stem supporting the body, a weight carried by the stem, anchoring means having connection with said weight and operated thereby, and means to break the connection between the we-ight and the stem, whereby the weight may move said anchoring means to operative position.

12. A well stopper -comprising a body, a stem supporting the body, a Weight carried by the stem, anchoring means having connection with and operated by said weight, and means carried by said 'body and arranged in the path of travel of said weight to break the connection between the weight and the stem, whereby the weight may drop under force of gravity and move said anmeans to operative position.

13. well stopper comprising a body, a stem supporting the body, anchoring means having connection with the body, an operating member for said anchoring means, a

frangible member connecting said stem and said operating member, there beine means to break the frangible connection lbetween the stem and the operating member whereby to allow the operating member to swing said anchoring means to operative position.-

14. A well stopper comprising a body, pawls carried by the body, an operating member for the pawls, a stem having frangible connection with the operating member, and means receiving the stem and arranged in the path of travel of the operating member to break the connection between the stem and the operating member whereby to allow the operating member to swing the pawls to operative position.

GEORGE H. MCLEAN. 

